tow INFINITI FX 2012 Owner's Guide

VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
WARNING
.Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
. Do not spin your tires at high speed. This
could cause them to explode and result
in serious injury. Parts of your vehicle
could also overheat and be damaged.
Pulling a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device
designed specifically for vehicle recovery.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.
Securely install the vehicle recovery hook
*1stored with jacking tools as illustrated.
Attach the tow strap to the recovery hook.
Make sure that the hook is properly
secured in the original place after use.
Do not use the tie down hooks
*2for
towing or vehicle recovery.
CAUTION
. Tow chains or cables must be attached
only to the vehicle recovery hooks or
main structural members of the vehicle.
Otherwise, the vehicle body will be
damaged.
. Do not use the vehicle tie downs to free
a vehicle stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.
. Never tow a vehicle using the vehicle tie
downs or recovery hooks.
. Always pull the cable straight out from
the front of the vehicle. Never pull on the
vehicle at an angle.
. Pulling devices should be routed so they
do not touch any part of the suspension,
steering, brake or cooling systems.
. Pulling devices such as ropes or canvas
straps are not recommended for use in
vehicle towing or recovery.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) system. 2. Make sure the area in front and behind
the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and backward.
.Shift back and forth between R
(reverse) and D (drive).
.Apply the accelerator as little aspossible to maintain the rocking
motion.
.Release the accelerator pedal beforeshifting between R and D.
.Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH(55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional towing
service to remove the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-15

7-4Appearance and care
ambient temperature.
. Rinse the wheel to completely remove
the cleaner within 15 minutes after the
cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the
finish.
TIRE DRESSING
INFINITI does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce dis-
coloration of the rubber. If a tire dressing is
applied to the tires, it may react with the
coating and form a compound. This com-
pound may come off the tire while driving
and stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take
the following precautions:
.Use a water-based tire dressing. The
coating on the tire dissolves more
easily with an oil-based tire dressing.
. Apply a light coat of tire dressing to
help prevent it from entering the tire
tread/grooves (where it would be diffi-
cult to remove). .
Wipe off excess tire dressing using a
dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing
is completely removed from the tire
tread/grooves.
. Allow the tire dressing to dry as
recommended by tire dressing manu-
facturer. Occasionally remove loose dust from the
interior trim, plastic parts and seats using
a vacuum cleaner or soft bristled brush.
Wipe the vinyl and leather surfaces with a
clean, soft cloth dampened in mild soap
solution, then wipe clean with a dry soft
cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in
order to maintain the appearance of the
leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the
manufacturer’
s recommendations. Some
fabric protectors contain chemicals that
may stain or bleach the seat material.
Use a cloth dampened only with water, to
clean the meter and gauge lens.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classification
sensors. This can also affect the operation
of the air bag system and result in serious
personal injury.
CLEANING INTERIOR

8-8Maintenance and do-it-yourself
SDI2263
VK50VE ENGINE
To remove the engine compartment covers,
unhook the clips
*Alocated as illustrated.
To remove the engine cover, pull the cover
upward first
*1and then toward the front
of the vehicle
*2.

8-42Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle.
Spin balancing the wheels on the vehicle
could lead to mechanical damage.
For additional information regarding tires,
refer to“Important Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Information” (Canada)
in the INFINITI Warranty Information Book-
let.
Care of wheels
See “Cleaning exterior” (P.7-2) for details
about care of the wheels.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE ONLY
(T-type) spare tire)
When a spare tire is mounted (TEMPORARY
USE ONLY or conventional), the TPMS will
not function.
Observe the following precautions if the T-
type spare tire must be used, otherwise
your vehicle could be damaged or involved
in an accident.
WARNING
. The T-type spare tire should be used for
emergency use. It should be replaced
with the standard tire at the first opportunity to avoid possible tire or
differential damage.
. Drive carefully while the TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire is installed. Avoid
sharp turns and abrupt braking while
driving.
. Periodically check spare tire inflation
pressure. Always keep the pressure of
the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire at
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 bar). Always keep
the pressure of the full size spare tire (if
so equipped) at the recommended pres-
sure for standard tires, as indicated on
the Tire and Loading Information label.
For Tire and Loading Information label
location, see “Tire and Loading Informa-
tion label” in the index of this manual.
. With the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare
tire installed do not drive your vehicle at
speeds faster than 50 MPH (80 km/h).
. When driving on roads covered with
snow or ice, the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire should be used on the front
wheels and original tire used on the rear
wheels (drive wheels). Use tire chains
only on the two rear original tires.
. Tire tread of the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire will wear at a faster rate than the standard tire. Replace the spare tire
as soon as the tread wear indicators
appear.
. Do not use the spare tire on other
vehicles.
. Do not use more than one spare tire at
the same time.
. Do not tow a trailer when the TEMPOR-
ARY USE ONLY spare tire is installed.
CAUTION
.Do not use tire chains on a TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire. Tire chains will not
fit properly and may cause damage to
the vehicle.
. Because the TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire is smaller than the original
tire, ground clearance is reduced. To
avoid damage to the vehicle, do not
drive over obstacles. Also do not drive
the vehicle through an automatic car
wash since it may get caught.

9 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants....... 9-2Fuel recommendation ...................................... 9-4
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation ......... 9-6
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations ............................. 9-7
Specifications ...................................................... 9-8
Engine............................................................. 9-8Wheels and tires ............................................. 9-9
Dimensions ................................................... 9-10
When traveling or registering your vehicle in
another country ................................................. 9-11
Vehicle identification ......................................... 9-11 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate ....... 9-11
Vehicle identification number
(chassis number) ........................................... 9-11
Engine serial number .................................... 9-12
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label .......... 9-12
Emission control information label ................ 9-13
Tire and loading information label ................. 9-13
Air conditioner specification label.................. 9-13
Installing front license plate .............................. 9-14
Vehicle loading information ............................... 9-15 Terms ............................................................ 9-15 Vehicle load capacity ................................... 9-17
Securing the load ........................................ 9-18
Loading tips................................................. 9-18
Measurement of weights.............................. 9-19
Towing a trailer ................................................. 9-19 Maximum load limits ................................... 9-19
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)/
Maximum Gross Axle Weight (GAW) ............. 9-21
Towing load/specification ............................ 9-23
Towing safety............................................... 9-23 Flat towing................................................... 9-27
Uniform tire quality grading .............................. 9-28 Treadwear .................................................... 9-28
Traction AA, A, B and C................................ 9-28 Temperature A, B and C ............................... 9-28
Emission control system warranty ..................... 9-29
Reporting safety defects.................................... 9-30
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance
(I/M) test .......................................................... 9-31
Event Data Recorders (EDR) ............................... 9-31
Owner’s Manual/Service Manual
order information .............................................. 9-32

9-2Technical and consumer information
The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be a little different. When refilling, follow the procedure
instructed in the“8. Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate)
Recommended specifications
US measure Imp measure Liter
Fuel 23-3/4 gal19-3/4 gal 90 See“Fuel recommendation” (P.9-4).
Engine oil*1
Drain and refill
With oil filter change VK50VE
7-1/8 qt
5-7/8 qt 6.7
.Engine oil with API Certification Mark*2
. Viscosity SAE 5W-30
VQ35HR
5-1/8 qt
4-3/8 qt 4.9
Without oil filter change VK50VE
6-1/8 qt
5-1/8 qt 5.8
VQ35HR 4-7/8 qt
4 qt4.6
Cooling system
With reservoir VK50VE
11-5/8 qt9-5/8 qt
11
Pre-diluted Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent
VQ35HR
9-3/4 qt8-1/8 qt
9.2
Reservoir VK50VE
7/8 qt3/4 qt 0.8
VQ35HR 7/8 qt3/4 qt 0.8
Automatic transmission fluid ———
Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF*3
Front differential gear oil ———Genuine NISSAN Differential Oil Hypoid Super GL-5 80W-90 or API GL-5
Viscosity SAE 80W-90*4
Rear differential gear oil VQ35HR without towing package
——— Genuine NISSAN Differential Oil Hypoid Super GL-5 80W-90 or API GL-5,
Viscosity SAE 80W-90*4
VK50VE/VQ35HR with towing
package ———
API GL-5 synthetic gear oil, Viscosity SAE 75W-90*5
Transfer fluid ———Genuine NISSAN Matic J ATF*6
Power steering fluid (PSF) Refill to the proper oil level according to the instructions in the“8.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section. Genuine NISSAN PSF or equivalent*7
Brake fluid Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid*8 or equivalent DOT 3
Multi-purpose grease ———
NLGI No. 2 (Lithium soap base)
Air conditioning system refrigerant ———
HFC-134a (R-134a)*9
Air conditioning system lubricants ———NISSAN A/C System Oil
Type S or exact equivalent
Window washer fluid ———Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Antifreeze or
equivalent
*1:
For additional information, see “Engine oil”(P.8-11) for changing engine oil.*2:INFINITI recommends Genuine NISSAN Ester Engine Oil available at INFINITI retailers.
CAPACITIES AND RECOMMENDED FUEL/
LUBRICANTS

Oil which may contain foreign matter or
has been previously used should not be
used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness
changes with temperature. Because of this,
it is important that the engine oil viscosity
be selected based on the temperatures at
which the vehicle will be operated before
the next oil change. Choosing an oil
viscosity other than that recommended
could cause serious engine damage.
Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new vehicle is equipped with a high-
quality genuine NISSAN oil filter. When
replacing, use the genuine oil filter or its
equivalent for the reason described in
change intervals.
Change intervals
The oil and oil filter change intervals for
your engine are based on the use of the
specified quality oils and filters. Oil and
filter other than the specified quality, or oil
and filter change intervals longer than
recommended could reduce engine life.
Damage to engines caused by improper
maintenance or use of incorrect oil andfilter quality and/or viscosity is not covered
by the new INFINITI vehicle limited warran-
ties.
Your engine was filled with a high quality
engine oil when it was built. You do not
have to change the oil before the first
recommended change interval. Oil and
filter change intervals depend upon how
you use your vehicle. Operation under the
following conditions may require more
frequent oil and filter changes.
.
repeated short distance driving at cold
outside temperatures,
. driving in dusty conditions,
. extensive idling,
. towing a trailer,
. stop and go “rush hour”traffic,
Refer to the “INFINITI Service and Main-
tenance Guide” for the maintenance sche-
dule.
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM RE-
FRIGERANT AND LUBRICANT RE-
COMMENDATIONS
The air conditioning system in your
INFINITI vehicle must be charged with the
refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a) and the
lubricant, NISSAN A/C system oil Type S
or the exact equivalents.
CAUTION
The use of any other refrigerant or lubricant
will cause severe damage to the air con-
ditioning system and will require the repla-
cement of all air conditioner system
components.
The refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a) in your
INFINITI vehicle will not harm the earth’s
ozone layer. Although this refrigerant does
not affect the earth’s atmosphere, certain
governmental regulations require the re-
covery and recycling of any refrigerant
during automotive air conditioning system
service. Your INFINITI retailer has the
trained technicians and equipment needed
to recover and recycle your air conditioning
system refrigerant.
Technical and consumer information9-7

9-16Technical and consumer information
of the load (passengers and car-
go) for the vehicle. This is the
maximum combined weight of
occupants and cargo that can be
loaded into the vehicle. If the
vehicle is used to tow a trailer,
the trailer tongue weight must be
included as part of the cargo load.
This information is located on the
Tire and Loading Information la-
bel.
.Cargo capacity - permissibleweight of cargo, the weight of
total occupants weight subtracted
from the load limit.
STI0445

VEHICLE LOAD CAPACITY
Do not exceed the load limit of your
vehicle shown as“The combined
weight of occupants and cargo” on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. Do not exceed the number of
occupants shown as “Seating Capa-
city” on the Tire and Loading In-
formation label.
To get “the combined weight of
occupants and cargo” , add the
weight of all occupants, then add
the total luggage weight. Examples
are shown in the illustration.
Steps for determining correct load
limit
1.Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg
or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’ s
placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For exam-
ple, if the XXX amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lb. passengers in your vehi-
cle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650
lbs. (1400 −750 (5 x 150) = 650
lbs) or (640 −340 (5 x 70) = 300
kg.)
5.Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will
be transferred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity
of your vehicle.
Before driving a loaded vehicle,
confirm that you do not exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
or the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for your vehicle. (See “Mea-
surement of weights” (P.9-19).)
Also check tires for proper inflation
pressures. See the Tire and Loading
Information label.
Technical and consumer information9-17

serious accident and personal in-
jury. Failures caused by overload-
ing are not covered by the
vehicle’s warranty.
MEASUREMENT OF WEIGHTS
Secure loose items to prevent weight
shifts that could affect the balance of
your vehicle. When the vehicle is
loaded, drive to a scale and weigh
the front and the rear wheels sepa-
rately to determine axle loads. In-
dividual axle loads should not
exceed either of the gross axle
weight ratings (GAWR). The total of
the axle loads should not exceed the
gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).
These ratings are given on the
vehicle certification label. If weight
ratings are exceeded, move or re-
move items to bring all weights
below the ratings.
WARNING
Overloading or improper loading of a trailer
and its cargo can adversely affect vehicle
handling, braking and performance and may
lead to accidents.
CAUTION
.Do not tow a trailer or haul a heavy load
for the first 500 miles (800 km). Your
engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
. For the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 MPH
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo.
Remember that towing a trailer places
additional loads on your vehicle’s engine,
drivetrain, steering, braking and other
systems. An INFINITI Towing Guide (U.S. only) is
available on the website at www.InfinitiU-
SA.com. This guide includes information on
trailer towing capability and the special
equipment required for proper towing.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loads
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed
the value specified in the
“Towing Load/
Specification” chart. The total trailer load
equals trailer weight plus its cargo weight.
. When towing a trailer load of 1,000 lbs
(454 kg) or more, trailers with a brake
system MUST be used.
The maximum GCWR (Gross Combined
Weight Rating) should not exceed the value
specified in the following “Towing Load/
Specification” chart.
Technical and consumer information9-19
TOWING A TRAILER